PGA Tour golf star Emilio Gonzalez was disqualified from his home country’s flagship tournament this week for a rare violation of “gross misconduct” rules.
The Mexican was in the middle of his second round at the World Tech Championships on Friday when strange circumstances developed that ultimately led to him being kicked out of the competition.
On the 15th hole, the 27-year-old hit his tee shot in a desert area and opted to play a provisional second off the tee.
He then went to look for the original and found a ball in the rough, but tournament bosses decided he had “failed to make reasonable efforts to identify the ball” within the allotted time, before moving on to play the provisional.
In the rules, it states: ‘If the provisional ball has not become the ball in play and a ball is found that could be the original ball, the player must make all reasonable efforts to identify that ball.
Emilio González was disqualified from the World Technology Championship in Mexico
González poses while on vacation with his long-time girlfriend Fernanda (left)
“If the player fails to do so, the Committee may disqualify him under Rule 1.2a if it decides that this is a serious foul contrary to the spirit of the game.”
The Chiefs decided that González’s decision to leave the original ball and go play his provisional from the fairway was against the rules, using their powers to disqualify him from the tournament.
He then made a bogey five on the hole and shot a 1-under 71 for the round.
The desert area on the 15th hole was a problem for many players on Friday (pictured)
González receives a kiss on the cheek from his girlfriend Fernanda in a recent photo published on Instagram
The decision to disqualify him was only made after the round had concluded, and Gonzalez was two shots short of the cut line and was already missing the weekend’s action before he was told.
Speaking to the media after the tournament, but before learning that he was being penalized for violating the rules, the Mexican said: “It was a week of many emotions.”
Fortunately for Gonzalez, none of his winnings were taken away from him and he will continue playing in next month’s PGA Tour Q School, where he has a chance to earn a promotion to the main Tour if he can finish in the top five.